The Crystal Empire:

February the 14th AKA Hearts and Hooves Day. Possibly Shining’s favorite holiday in Equestria, or at least his wife’s. Mystic Mother above knew she loved reminding ponies about why they’d fallen in love in the first place, or setting ponies up she knew would make perfect couples. For Shining, his reasons was that Hearts and Hooves Days often put his wife in a very romantic mood, and for him that meant very, very good nights.

The Crystal Empire loved this date as well. With all of the love being pulled into the Crystal Heart at the very center of the Kingdom, the Empire’s protection spells were stronger than ever. Lately, that was a very good thing, as the last few months they’d been needed more than ever thanks to the reemergence of the Orgs. Even with the Jaguar Wild Zord and Torozord constantly keeping their eyes peeled on the Empire, it never hurt to have every form of protection you could get your hooves on really. Shining was confident in that no Org would manage to make their way inside the Empire today or any other day, if he had anything to say about it.

However, what nobody counted on or ever thought of was an Org Spirit already inside the Empire possessing something. That was… until today. Shining didn’t know it, but he was about to get a very rude awakening on just how much his responsibility to the Empire entailed, and just how ready he needed to be to face evil as the Magna Defender. Nor did he count on the Crystal Empire getting a blast from the past in Power Ranger history and for him, meeting with yet another one of the most celebrated heroes that the Morphin’ Grid had ever chose.

In the Throne Room, his wife was at the point of anxiety, just like every other Hearts and Hooves Day. She wanted everything to be just right for her subjects on this special occasion. And as you can probably imagine, for the Princess of Love, Hearts and Hooves Day was the most important day of the year for her.

“Banners… Banners…” Cadence muttered to herself as she paced back and forth across the throne room. “Where are the banners, they should have been hung up all over the castle by now!”

Her face was frantic, eyes full of worry. Shining walked up to her and began rubbing her shoulders as his wife took several deep calming breathes. “Relax, okay? I’ve already begun ordering the guards to start hanging them up all over the castle, just as you wanted me to… And reminded me about for the past three days.”

“Even if said guards are protesting about it… Quite feverently,” Shining mentally added with a chuckle that he hoped his wife hadn’t heard. If she did, she paid it no mind.

The Princess of Love’s expression softened and looked guilty as she sighed. “Have I really been pushing you that hard about this?” She asked guiltily.

Shining tried to think of a polite way to phrase his response. If not polite, at least not one too insulting. “Well… You have… I… Uh… Well… To be frank, yeah, you kinda have,” He answered, deciding to be blunt.

One of the tips he’d learned from his father was never to lie to your wife about anything. It never ended well, and with you usually on the couch. He shrugged sheepishly and said “Sorry,”

“No… No, it’s all my fault…” Cadence apologized before trying to explain. “It’s… It’s just, I want this day to be absolutely perfect, y’know?”

“Because it’s your duty as the Princess of Love to make sure all the lovebirds in the Crystal Empire are happy couples, right?” Shining asked.

“Well, wouldn’t have put it quite like that… but, in essence, yeah,” Cadence replied, blushing red.

“You’re so cute when you’re like that, anypony ever tell you that?” Shining asked, kissing his wife on the lips. “E-Embarrassed and flustered I mean,” He stuttered out.

“Seems to me the only embarrassed and flustered one around here is you,” Cadence sniped playfully. Shining mouthed something wordlessly, gobsmacked at having his own words turned back at him.

“Wonder if I’m the only one with a wife who can match wits with their lover…” He thought to himself.

“You know, on the subject of lovely couples, Luna did send me a letter about how she caught a certain Orange Ranger dreaming about Sunset Shimmer,” Cadence put in. “And I mean dreams of the… Er, let’s say unclean kind,”

“So?” Shining asked. “Lots of males and females probably have sexual fantasies about Princesses. I mean, look at the Royal Sisters! They’ve won beauty polls for the last four years running!”

Shining desperately tried not to think about how his sister might win one of those one day and have suitors flocking to her doorsteps.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t have thought nothing of it, except Luna informed me that the two are actually dating. She seemed rather sad about it, for some reason,” Cadence continued.

“Wait, wait, wait… Back up,” Shining stammered out, missing the part about Luna being sad entirely. “Are you actually saying that Robert and Sunset are dating? And all that comes with it?”

“Well, I don’t know about all that comes with it...” Cadence trailed off thoughtfully. “But yeah, they are dating. Isn’t surprising really, considering they both live in the same town and share the same job, fighting evil day in and day out and all that,”

“But, you mean they’re probably having sex,” Shining thought, trying very hard not to think about the idea of one of his adopted family members and Twilight’s older sister in all but blood having sex with anybody.

“Weeellllll, I wouldn’t go that far…” Cadence trailed off again.

“Really?” Shining asked, raising an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

“Just a feeling about Sunset herself. Never quite confirmed it, as it’s really a private thing for her, but I don’t think they’ll be having sex anytime soon,” the Princess of Love remarked.

“C-Can we get off this particular subject anytime soon please?” Shining stammered out, now quite thoroughly embarrassed to no end. Cadence had to cover her mouth with a hand to hide her giggles.

“Fine, fine… Hoped to tease you a little more, but I suppose a girl can’t have all the fun all the time,” Cadence replied. “How about we take a walk around the city, hmm? Nice day for it,”

“That sounds nice… Maybe stop for lunch at that little cafe you like?” Shining suggested. “Eat some of that Crystal Berry Pie?”

Cadence smiled happily before she traced a finger under Shining’s chin. “And maybe later tonight we can share a bottle of wine and have some real fun if you’re good enough…” She said, her voice turning dangerously seductive and Shining’s cheeks blushed as red as the Phoenix Zord’s flames. He let out a small whimper of anticipation and nodded.

“Yeah, thought so.” Cadence replied. Shining smiled. Ah, the benefits of being married to the Princess of Love…

Elsewhere…

Outside the Crystal Empire, in the middle of a freezing blizzard strode two figures wrapped in cloaks to shield themselves from the cold, both having very large horns sticking out of their foreheads. One carried a very large axe covered in what looked to be eyes and muscle tissue, another carried a crescent moon shaped blade pure black in color. Strapped to the second figure’s waist was an ebony dagger, with a similar crescent moon shaped theme and three little holes in it.

As their cloaks flapped in the wind, Retinax turned to the Duke Org that accompanied him. “I presume you know what we’re here for, right?”

“Remind me,” Zen-Aku replied in his usual gruff tone of voice, his distinctive golden eyes visible even under the hood of his cloak.

“Yes…” Retinax chuckled. Zen-Aku may have been no Helicos or Artilla, but he was still a powerful Duke Org nonetheless. Smart as well, as he’d quickly found out ever since he picked him up last night. Perhaps maybe too smart for his own good. Sooner or later, the infamous “Wolf of the Night” would figure out that he was being used only for his power, and that as soon as Retinax was done with him, he’d be dumped out like yesterday’s trash. “Long ago, when King Sombra was still in control of this land, he stumbled across something. A powerful artifact. A gem, he knew of the power it possessed. Or to be more accurate, once possessed. He never could quite get it to reactivate that power for his own uses, whatever they may have been. Give himself more power, I can only imagine,” the General Org explained.

“The fool…” Zen-Aku muttered to himself in derision. Tyrants, always searching for further ways to bolster their own power levels.

“Perhaps,” Retinax chuckled again before shrugging. “Perhaps not. The point is, it’s still there,” Retinax stated, pointing towards the Crystal Castle in the distance. “I can only guess Shining had all of Sombra’s dark objects and weapons of war moved somewhere safe… Out of the way, where nopony with dark desires could get their grubby little hands on them.”

“Nobody except you, that is,” Zen-Aku finished. Retinax smirked.

“Correct, although I should say you. My guess, Shining and that damn Princess of Love have improved the barriers keeping out enemy forces,” the General Org explained. “So, obviously I can't just waltz in and take the gem. You, however, that’s another story. They don't know you've switched sides yet, do they?”

“No…” Zen-Aku murmured. The barriers should still see him as a friend, and he could walk right in and take the gem with nopony the wiser. Walking towards the two tall amethyst spires that made up the entry gates, he suddenly found himself shoved backwards by an invisible force. Evidently, Shining and Cadence didn't know he’d switched sides, but the barriers did.

“So, any other ideas…?” Zen-Aku deadpanned.

“Well, there is that ability of yours…” Retinax replied thoughtfully. Zen-Aku’s eyes widened in shock. Surely he wasn't suggesting…?

“Yes, I am,” Retinax stated, finishing the Duke Org’s train of thought. Zen-Aku sighed, before vanishing in a flash of black energy…

With Shining and Cadence…

Much to Cadence and Shining’s surprise, they’d run across a familiar griffon and pony duo while out on their date at the Topaz Cafe, the Crystal Empire’s finest dining establishment.

“Troy, Canvas!” Shining shouted out to the pair, earning him a wave as he and his wife walked into the Cafe. “What are you two lovebirds doing here?”

“Well, Canvas here,” Troy started, flashing his husband a proud smile. “Has an art show here in the next few days, so we thought we’d get here early. See the sights as well in the bargain, I figured.”

“The art show hosted by Lapis Lazuli, I presume?” Shining asked thoughtfully, and Troy nodded in confirmation.

“Table for four please,” Shining asked, and waved Troy and Canvas over to a table and pulled up a chair.

“Really?” Troy asked in shock, quite flabbergasted.

“Yeah, consider it a treat from yours truly,” Shining stated. “Now, how’s your sightseeing been going?”

“It’s had its ups and downs, so to speak,” Troy responded with his feathers flushing crimson, still shocked that the Prince of the Crystal Empire would ask for them to eat with them.

“I presume you saw the statue of “Spike, the Brave and Glorious”?” Cadence asked, referring to the giant crystal statue of Spike holding the Crystal Heart. The sapphire constructed statue had been erected and carved not too long after the defeat and banishment of Sombra’s restless spirit.

“Yeah, we saw,” Canvas replied. “I'm no statue carver or whatever you call it, but even I as an artist can spot the love and care carved out into that thing. I have to give compliments to the artisans here in the Empire. They're very well trained in their trade.”

“Yeah, the ponies who make our famous flugelhorns are very proud,” Shining stated as he and Cadance seated themselves. Cadence’s usual long flowing mane was tied up in a nice bun instead of its usual style earning her quite a few admirers and Shining a few jealous looks from stallions and mares alike. Troy groaned loudly.

“Oh, don’t get me started on them,” he muttered in derision. “All the way here, ponies were shouting at me and Canvas left and right to buy their horns. Got quite annoying after a few minutes, as you can imagine.”

Shining chuckled. “Yeah, I can. How’s married life been treating you?”

“Been good,” Troy stated. Cadence looked at them curiously.

“Been thinking about little foals or fillies yet?” She inquired and Canvas blushed profusely, about as red as a blood-colored ruby.

“We… We… really hadn’t been thinking about it to be honest, least not right now,” Canvas replied in an embarrassed tone.

“Well, you know, a little bun in the oven never hurt anybody. Me and Shining have been thinking about one lately...” Cadence trailed off. If it were possible, Canvas blushed even redder.

“B-But we’re both males!” He sputtered out. “You know perfectly well as I do that neither of us can have a child that way!”

“Oh trust me on this,” Cadence replied, and Shining groaned and facepalmed. He really hated it sometimes when his wife went into her “Shipper on Deck” mode as he called it and thought up really crazy or insane ideas to help couples out with their perceived marital problems. “There’s nothing magic can’t do nowadays. There’s quite a few spells or potions that could help you out on this.”

“...Can we just order our food now?” Shining asked, sinking low into his seat as the waiter arrived, quite thoroughly embarrassed by his wife’s antics.

Eventually, the food did arrive and Troy quickly began to dig into his shrimp resembling a lioness ripping apart one of her kills in some strange and slightly disturbing manner for Shining and Cadence. Canvas on the other hoof paid it no mind, he was used to Griffon table manners by now after meeting all of Troy’s family who were in some cases worse than Troy himself.

“A certain pair of Triplets come to mind…” He thought with a chuckle. His eyes then wandered to a dummy adorned in blood-red armor. The style was that of the ancient Japanese samurai warlords.

“What’s with…?” He trailed off.

“Oh, that?” Shining asked and Canvas nodded. “The owner brought it in last year if I remember correctly. Guy’s fascinated with ancient Neighponiese culture. You should see the ink painting of the white and red wolf he has in his backroom running across a green field. Very interesting to say the least. It’s like that wolf is actually creating the grass and flowers beneath its feet.”

Of course, right about then, the peace was shattered when a very familiar and very unwelcome pink mist surrounded the armor and transformed it into a horned monstrosity with a demonic like face on his chest. The face seemed to be howling in pain as the newly reborn Samurai Org gripped his katana and patrons scattered out the front door.

Shining flicked his wrists and the Magna Defender bracers appeared as he drew the Magna Blade from its hilt. Shining sighed to himself as he morphed with a shout of “Magna Power!” and gripped his blade.

“Show me your fighting style!” The Samurai Org challenged. “You must defend it, it is part of your honor as a swordsman!”

“Dunno what the Tartarus you’re talking about… But, okay…” Shining muttered.

With that, the unicorn stallion stepped forward and the two warrior's blades met as the restaurant's patrons began to flee. They traded blows with each other, neither one getting the upper hand.

“You fight well for someone of your caliber Knight, but you still don’t have what it takes!” The Org taunted. He threw a punch at Shining, aiming to gut-check the stallion. Shining knocked the blow off track with his free hand and lowered his shoulder to shove the Org back.

“And you’re ugly, so I think that makes us about even, Samurai, if that’s even what you are,” Shining taunted, only serving to make the Samurai Org more determined to defeat his opponent and fellow swordsman. Cadence frowned. Shining was getting cocky, starting to run the risk of making a dangerous mistake.

“You dare question my integrity? My worth as a Samurai?” He roared out, slashing furiously at Shining, forcing him onto the defensive to handle the flurry of strikes at the cost of small wounds to his arms and legs.

“Little bit, yeah,” Shining deadpanned as he maneuvered the Org in front of the restaurant's front door with his counterblows before quickly seizing a barstool and flinging it full force into his opponent's chest, forcing him to stumble out into the street. The Samurai Org took a brief moment away from his blade to pull out a shell and throw the contents inside up in the air. The slime inside solidified into Putrid soldiers who beat the ground with their cudgels as an intimidation measure. As if to add to Shining’s problems, there came a distinct crowing sound as Tenga Warriors flew down from the sky, some holding swords of their own, dark purple scimitars.

“Funny, I thought a warrior of honor would need no backup, he’d face his foe alone,” Shining remarked.

“A warrior also takes whatever help he is given, and my Master has a whole army on his side. Samurai are warlords, remember? We are perfectly willing to lead our troops into battle on the front lines,” the Samurai Org replied.

“You’re confused with Shoguns. Far as I see it, you’re just a lone wolf, so to speak. A simple soldier,” Shining taunted as he stepped out of the building to face his foe again, determined to finish the fight, but the Samurai Org was quick to offer a rebuttal.

“And a simple soldier follows his fellow troops into battle,” he remarked. “And today, that battle is taking this Empire of yours for ourselves!”

The Org took advantage of Shining walking forward, darting towards him and getting inside the reach of his sword, wrenching the stallion’s weapon from his grasp as he knocks him away, the blow turning Shining to gaze back at the restaurant where he sees Cadance had followed him and was now directly in the Org’s path. Disarmed, he could only watch in horror as time seemed to slow to a crawl as the evil creature’s blade drew a bloody line up his wife's arm on its way to separate her head from her neck.

Suddenly, with a shout of “Ki-yah!” a boot hit the Samurai Org squarely in the jaw from out of nowhere just in time before the Org could finish the job. It belonged to a man dressed in a military green vest with a black shirt underneath it and short, spiky black hair with a tiny goatee.

“Who the Hell do you think you are?” The Samurai Org demanded, seemingly sizing his newest opponent up.

“What, a fellow Ranger can’t come and help out from time to time?” the newcomer asked casually with a shrug of his shoulders. “Name’s Tommy Oliver, yours?”

The Samurai Org took a swing at him which he barely dodged. In the background, both Canvas and Troy grabbed Cadence and rushed her out the back door of the restaurant to where two unicorn guards waited and teleported her off. Shining sighed in relief as he mentally thanked the two, his wife was safe thanks to their courage. They’d stayed behind while everybody else had fled. Medals were definitely in order for them, Shining noted.

“No time for talking then?” Tommy noted as the battle progressed back into the street. “Well, in that case…”

Then, the man pulled out what looked to be a gold and red adorned belt buckle with a golden coin in the center of it and shouted out what was possibly the most famous morphing call in Power Ranger history: “It’s Morphin’ Time! Dragonzord!”

In a bright, nearly blinding flash of green energy, he was transformed into a green warrior adorned with white diamond shaped detailing on his gloves and boots and a golden diagonal shaped chest plate.

His stark black opaque visor had white teeth detailing around it and a sculpted silver mouth plate with the entire helmet coming across as some sort of dragon complete with headcrest and the entire helmet was topped off with three golden adornments.

The costume itself less resembled the spandex he was used to seeing and more like body armor if Shining was to be honest. All in all, this new Ranger looked very, very dangerous.

Shining almost felt sorry for the Tengas, Putrids and the Samurai Org. Almost.

“...So, you guys are still around huh?” The Mighty Morphin’ Green Ranger observed, sounding almost bored. Shining, if he didn’t know better, could swear he could see him smirking under his helmet. “This should be a piece of cake then,”

The Green Ranger charged into battle slicing and dicing his way through the Tengas with what looked to be a combination of a dagger and a flute that had appeared in his hands with a bright flash of green and gold energy. One tried to punch the Ranger square in the jaw, but the punch was caught and the Green Ranger flipped him onto the pavement.

A Putrid tried to swing at the Ranger, in an attempt to bash his skull in with his cudgel, but the Ranger moved his head at the last minute and kicked the Orgling into a Flugelhorn cart.

Shining, as he clutched his chest in pain chuckled a little. “Oh, the owners aren’t going to like that one. Cart abuse and destruction, wonder if I should make a law about destroying those things? No, probably would be pointless anyways,” he thought.

Shining watched as the Green Ranger judo-flipped two Tengas behind him. He socked another Tenga across the beak with a powerful right cross before KOing him and sending the crow-like warrior flying with one powerhouse of an uppercut. A Putrid appeared from behind him and fired his weapon at the Green Ranger who summoned a scimitar blade with a little red piece of ribbon hanging off of it in his hands and used it to slice the rocket down the middle. He then ran towards the Putrid and knocked him to the ground with a leg sweep before whirling around and decapitating a Tenga with the sword. Purple toned blood sprayed everywhere some getting on the Green Ranger’s costume. He groaned in disgust before inspecting his sword.

“Never thought I’d actually be grateful to be using this weapon again… But any port in a storm to use the old idiom I guess…” the Green Ranger murmured before using both the Sword of Darkness and the Dragon Dagger to start cutting down the remaining enemy forces. He even at one point blew the Dragon Dagger using the sound waves to knock back both Putrids and Tengas alike.

Soon, all that was left was the Samurai Org as he and the Green Ranger circled each other like a pair of hungry wolves about to face off over a kill.

“Aren’t you a little old for this Green Ranger?” the Samurai Org taunted. Tommy only chuckled.

“Might be, but I can still pull it off,” he remarked.

They each gripped their blades tightly before charging towards each other.

Tommy leaps over the swing of the Org's blade, delivering a kick to the monster's back, causing it to stumble forward.

“So, even 3,000 years in the future the Earth is threatened by monsters,” Tommy remarked in a dry tone of voice before chuckling wryly. “Why doesn’t that somehow surprise me? What, is it because you think we’re an easy target?”

Tommy spins, bringing his leg up to kick the Org in the head, grunting in surprise when it catches the blow with its arm before throwing him off his feet.

“For the record, we Orgs have been around longer than you,” The Samurai Org remarked. “And yes, for the record… Us monsters do think Earth is an easy target. Look at you… Humans, so weak and frail. Most of you barely make it past seventy-five on average. And that’s not counting your own self-destructive tendencies.”

“Yeah, what about that?” Tommy asked, feeling as if he was about to be lectured. He chuckled at the irony. And here he thought he was the teacher. He jumps back to his feet and the pair slowly circles each other, facing off once more.

“Your drinking, Your religious differences, prejudice, and oh… let us not forget, your love of the ancient art of war. The First and Second World Wars, Vietnam and the conflicts in the Middle East. You can’t seem to keep that good urge down. My armor… It was at Hiroshima, you know,” the Org remarked even as he was kicked in the chest making him stumble back. Tommy lunged forward with the Sword of Darkness scoring a slice across the chest and then tried for another strike but the blow was blocked. Tommy leaped off a table as the Org slashed it in half with a powerful swing from his katana before the Green Ranger kicked him in the face. “The day the bomb dropped. Somehow, it survived. I have a first-hand look at humanity’s love for war you can imagine, their bloodlust. There’s one last example I’d like to point out. What was it... ?” the Samurai Org lectured before trailing off. Suddenly, he “remembered”.

“And oh yes, your hatred against ponykind. Your attempted culling of them. Look where that got you,” the Samurai Org growled out as his katana and Tommy’s sword met and blades locked, sparks flying off the metal grinding against each other.

“You been hanging out with Solar Flare?” Tommy snarked as he socked the Org across the jaw before slicing out with his Dragon Dagger scoring a blow in-between the small gaps in the Org’s armor. He then tried another kick but was thrown to the pavement in a spin hitting the stone with a thud.

“No, but I’d love to shake her hand for clearing out humanity for us Orgs to take over in its stead. The presence of ponies… A minor obstacle to be sure. They can be removed easily enough, like all obstacles. They fall to the same self-destructive tendencies as you humans,” the Samurai Org remarked before teleporting away in a red flash.

“Man… You talk too much.” Tommy sighed as he rubbed his head in pain.

In a courtyard used as training grounds for the Crystal Guard, Shining punched a tree in frustration.

“Can’t… Can’t believe I let that damn Samurai beat me!” He snarled out in self-disgust. “The Magna Defender… He trusted these powers to me and I can’t even use them to defend my own country! My own wife!”

“So?” Tommy asked. “Everybody loses every once in awhile against a monster. Hell, I’ve had it worse off than you. To recount, I’ve been trapped in Amber by a brainwashed Ranger, been brainwashed myself to destroy the original Power Rangers and their city, got sent into a coma, and temporarily lost my powers twice on the same team.”

“Now you’ve got to be kidding me… Nobody’s luck is that bad…” Shining muttered in disbelief.

“Well, when you become a Power Ranger… I’d say getting into a lot of weird shit comes with the deal,” Tommy chuckled and Shining laughed with him. He had a point there.

Then, Tommy leveled the Sword of Darkness at him as he re-morphed. “Now, duel with me. Let’s just see how good you really are.”

And so it began, with Shining drawing his Magna Blade at Tommy and swords clashed. Metal met metal, every blow matched. But then, Shining remembered the utter humiliation he’d been dealt by the Samurai Org and rage overtook him.

His swings became wilder, messier. Tommy dodged them easily and kicked Shining back into a tree.

He then demorphed and stuck the Sword of Darkness into the grass before walking up and taking Shining’s wrist bracers from him.

“Is this how the current Sixth and Magna Defender fights? With anger and rage?” Tommy asked, crossing his arms in stark disapproval and raising an eyebrow. “Until you get your act together and stow your shit, you’re not worthy of these. Not by a long shot.”

“But-” Shining tried to protest but was quickly rebuffed.

“Calm yourself down, put your personal humiliation aside. There are ponies lives at stake here, and your own damn wounded pride isn’t worth them dying on your watch!” Tommy exclaimed. “You’re this kingdom’s Prince right?”

Shining nodded weakly.

“Then start acting like it,” Tommy ordered before teleporting off in a flash of green energy.

Crystal Castle Crypts:

Meanwhile, in another part of the Empire Zen-Aku emerged into a deep, dank and very dark crypt. His armor and fur practically made him blend into the background. His eyes scanned the room full of horrific torture and execution devices that Sombra had once used on his subjects. Shackles lined the stone walls with various sharp instruments resting against a wall with a cat-o-nine-tails lying abandoned in a corner.

He made a noise of disgust as his eyes wandered to a guillotine, long since abandoned and gathering dust. The sliver of the blade was stained with dried blood. He’d heard about Sombra, and how he kept the Crystal Ponies in line, but this was something else, even for him.

His eyes wandered to the infamous torture device known as “The Maiden”, or the Virgin of Nuremberg. It was like a coffin, except on every wall were spikes implanted into it. And then there was Sombra’s Judas Cradle, a triangular shaped seat where whoever sat on it was very slowly impaled.

Zen-Aku had to hold back his gag reflex. The sooner he got out of here, the better.

“I’m surprised these haven’t been destroyed yet…” Zen-Aku thought as he wandered through the crypt. “Perhaps Shining and/or Cadence subscribe to the philosophy of those who forget history are doomed to repeat it, or they simply can’t bring themselves to even step foot into this room to destroy them. Can’t say I blame them.”

Then, he spotted it. A pure white gem, a light against the blackness of the room sitting on a plinth inside a glass case. He shattered the case and grabbed the gem before teleporting out through a swirling portal of darkness. What he didn’t see was a hand reach out of that darkness, before quickly pulling itself back in as the portal closed…

Back with Shining, he kept swinging his sword and slicing apart the dummies, rage against the Samurai Org filling his every swing. And every time, he missed. He knew what Tommy had did back there. It was something his superiors in the Royal Guard had done to him once and he heard the Wonderbolts did to their recruits at times. It was the classic “Break you down to build you up” strategy. Get Shining angry enough, and he’d stop worrying about the Samurai Org.

“Tommy… He was right…” Shining thought to himself not realizing he was speaking aloud. “I let my pride as a swordsman get the better of me, let it control my emotions in that fight, and now look what it’s cost me. My wife’s in the hospital and my Morphers have been taken away. I promised to uphold the Magna Defender legacy… Defend others who couldn’t defend themselves. Sure doing a Tartarus of a fine job doing that.”

“Actually, I’d say you’re doing a better job than you think you are,” Troy’s voice remarked, coming from behind him. Shining’s head whirled around to face him.

“What the…? How long have you been there?” Shining asked in shock.

“Long enough. Apologies for eavesdropping your Highness, but it seems like you needed somebody to talk to,” the gray feathered griffon remarked. “If you ask me, you’re doing a fine job of upholding the Magna Defender legacy. I was there in Canterlot, the day you faced down that Retinax fellow...”

The Torozord followed his movements, drawing a pair of twin golden kunai daggers, “I am Prince Shining Armor of the Crystal Empire, Captain of the Royal and Crystal Guard and the Third Magna Defender.” The Torozord brought the daggers together, forming a double bladed javelin and raising it in a salute. “Defender of Equus!”

Watching in awe as Shining made his declaration, Troy smiled and whispered: “Go get him.”

“You sent him fleeing didn’t you and that was only your first fight with the powers correct?” Troy inquired. “So… Surely you can do the same with this Samurai wannabe?”

Shining gripped his sword and smirked. “You’re right… I can. Now… Where can I find him?”

“Last I heard, he and this green and gold covered warrior were doing battle in the Cherry Blossom Gardens on the west end of the Empire,” Troy replied.

That was all Shining needed. With a shout of “Thanks!” he dashed off to the armory intent on grabbing a few things...

Crystal Empire: Cherry Blossom Gardens

Meanwhile, Tommy had found himself on the backfoot against the Samurai Org. The Org was swinging powerful blow after powerful blow, the Green Ranger just barely meeting them every time with the Dragon Dagger or the Sword of Darkness.

“You’re not the one I want! Where’s the Prince?” The Samurai Org roared. “I want to see more of that glorious fighting style!”

“Too bad, he’s not here. You’ll be dealing with me instead,” the Green Ranger replied snarkily before he was kicked in the chest and sent sprawling to the ground. Groaning in pain, Tommy started to pick himself up.

And then he saw it.

Striding forwards, wearing a determined expression on his muzzle was Shining Armor. He was covered head to hoof in full gleaming topaz Crystal Guard armor and a flowing blood-red cape trailing behind him making him resemble a cross between a Roman Centurion and a medieval knight. In one hand he held the Magna Blade and the other he wielded a shield not that far removed from the type the Knight Templars would have used, his Cutie Mark of a pink six-pointed star on a dark blue shield emblazoned on it.

Tommy smiled under his helmet as Shining knocked a Putrid aside with his shield. “I knew it, he’d get back in the fight eventually. Can’t keep a good Ranger down.”

Shining blasted a Tenga full-force with his Riot Blaster, punching a hole through his chest before switching back to blade form. “Go get ‘em, Shining.” Tommy thought.

“Back for more?” The Samurai Org laughed. All around them, cherry blossom trees bloomed in a bright display of pink and white, the flowers falling all around them in the cobblestone square to complete the scene of Samurai VS Knight.

“Yeah, time for round two you bastard,” Shining growled as he crossed blades with a Tenga Warrior, sparks flying as the blades ground together before he kicked it in the stomach and sliced it down. He whirled around to face another Tenga and bashed it in the head with his shield before knocking it aside.

The Samurai Org roared in rage and charged towards Shining, katana drawn and sliced downwards with a powerful slash. Shining raised his shield to block the blade strike but the sword slashed it clean through, lopping off the top. Shining hit the Samurai Org in the head with the butt of his own blade before tossing the broken shield aside. It hit the cobblestone with a clattering sound as Tommy tossed Shining his Magna Bracers.

“Here, catch!” the Green Ranger shouted and Shining caught them at once and strapped them to his wrists. He tossed his sword skywards before Shining flipped out the key on his left bracer and plugged it into the right one before with an explosion of energy he was back in full Defender armor.

He caught the Magna Blade and leveled it at the Samurai Org. “Let’s do this,” Shining growled out.

“You still come crawling back to me, after I soundly defeated you?” The Samurai Org laughed. “Destroyed your honor as a swordsman?”

“Honor… That’s a funny thing to say considering you have none of it,” Shining snarled. “A warrior of honor… He’d never attack the lives of innocents, never let them get caught up in the crossfire with him and his duel. But that’s exactly what you’ve done today. You’re no honorable warrior, you’re not worthy of your title as a Samurai. I defend my people, no matter the cost. I have my honor as a Knight, as the Prince of the Crystal Empire, as the Third Magna Defender, and you have absolutely nothing of the sort!” He declared.

“Here, catch!” Tommy shouted, once again tossing something Shining’s way. This time, the Dragon Dagger. Shining grasped it tightly in his free hand. The two warriors clashed swords, meeting again and again, each blow matched perfectly and like before it seemed that neither one was gaining ground.

“What about your wife? What about her?” The Samurai Org taunted, hoping to enrage Shining, but that wasn’t going to be happening anytime soon. “She’s in the hospital, probably moments away from death!”

Shining stayed completely calm throughout this even as he continued blocking blows from the Samurai Org. The Org lunged at him but Shining sidestepped out of the way and elbowed him in the face making him stumble back a bit. He then scored several small slashes with the Dragon Dagger.

In retaliation, the Samurai Org did score a slice across the chest plate cracking the green gem in the middle however before kicking Shining backwards with a kick to the chest making Shining stumble. However, the Magna Defender remained unfazed.

He raised the Dragon Dagger to his faceplate and blew on it and as a sound like a trumpet played, green bolts of lightning shot out of the Dagger ripping up the ground. One bolt shot straight and true at the Samurai Org. It was soundly deflected with his katana’s blade and sent right back at Shining who absorbed the bolt with his own sword.

“That’s not going to happen. I have faith in both her and the doctors at the hospital. She’ll be fine. You on the other hand… That’s another story entirely,” the Magna Defender stated calmly. With that, his horn glowed a fine magenta and he tossed the Org skywards before leaping up after him and with the sun as his backdrop glinting off the Crystal Castle he sliced the Org right down the middle with the Magna Blade. The Org plummeted to the ground cracking the stone beneath him but still, he managed to pick himself up.

“That… That the best you got?” the Samurai Org growled. Shining smirked under his helmet as he gripped both of his weapons tightly and leaped forwards.

“Galactic Dragon Slash!” Shining yelled as he spun sideways in midair like a tornado, his Magna Blade glowing a bright sapphire blue and the Dragon Dagger a bright jade green as he slashed them across the Samurai Org’s chest in one powerful final strike. The Org staggered before he fell forwards.

Shining smirked, he was finished. However...

“So, I see some things never change…” Tommy muttered as he watched the Samurai Org grow to giant size no thanks to Thrax’s wand. There was a roaring sound as the Torozord saw the giant and charged onto the battlefield, his green eyes glimmering with anticipation and steam snorting from his nostrils. “I assume you can take it from here?” Tommy asked, turning to Shining who only nodded.

“Magna Defender, transform!” Shining shouted as he faced his partner, his eyes meeting with the Torozord’s own.

Shining was transformed into a giant red armored capeless version of himself as the Torozord emitted a green beam from the gem on his forehead. The Torozord’s green eyes flashed once as it stood up, raising onto its hind legs to a bipedal stance as steam erupted from its nostrils and the now Mega Defender jumped inside. The head opened up, revealing a stoic face with yellow eyes as hands erupted from the bull’s forehooves.

“Defender Torozord, ready!” Shining yelled out as he raised the Defender Axe and an explosion of smoke like a volcano blowing its top erupted from behind the Megazord.

The very ground shook as the two titans marched forwards and a loud, mighty CLANG! was heard as axe met katana. The Defender Torozord sliced the Samurai Org across the chest before a swift retaliation was dealt.

A horizontal strike from the katana and the Defender Torozord stumbled back sparks flying from the blow. Shining grunted in pain. He seriously envied the main team at this point, actually having cockpits instead of being the Megazord themselves.

“Come on…” He grunted out. “That the best you got?”

Shining sliced again with the Defender Axe and once again metal met metal before Shining tried a different approach and punched the Samurai Org across the jaw with a powerful right hook and he stumbled back. The katana hit the ground with a loud clattering sound.

“Now… Let’s finish this!” Shining shouted before going for the Megazord’s lance. “Defender Torozord, Lightning Spin!”

The Torozord, whirling in place like a tornado with the lance charged with lightning before it blitzed through the Samurai Org with one quick slice. Shining stood triumphantly and raised his lance skywards as the Org fell over with a groan of pain and went up in a fireball that could be seen for miles.

“Now that’s how you defeat a monster,” Tommy said in approval, taking off his helmet to look up at the Megazord before him with his own eyes.

Later that evening, Tommy met with Shining in front of the Crystal Castle.

“Listen, about what I did…” Tommy started before Shining shook his head.

“No, you were right. I needed that lesson taught to me, badly. I guess even a Prince has some things to learn from time to time,” Shining chuckled, Dragon Dagger strapped to his hip.

“Well, I wish I could stay and help, but I have to be getting back. Got a wife waiting on me on the other side. Going to be mad as Hell at me, even if it was nice getting back out in the field for a little while,” Tommy laughed and Shining chuckled as he saluted.

“Thanks, and stay safe,” Shining said as Tommy began to fade away. But not before he had one last thing to say.

“You too, and may the Power protect you...” He trailed off before vanishing entirely leaving only the Sword of Darkness behind. Shining smiled before he implanted it in the ground in front of him as tribute before heading inside the Castle.

When he got inside, he found himself teleported to the bedroom, where on the bed lay his wife in a see-through negligee, with wine and chocolate covered strawberries on the table beside her. The room itself was only just barely lit, with candles providing the only sources of light. Shining blushed red. Even with the stitches lining her arm where the Samurai Org had cut it open, his wife still looked beautiful as ever.

“Well, is my knight in shining armor ready for his reward for slaying the ogre?” Cadence asked him in a seductive tone nibbling on one of the strawberries. Shining whimpered and gave a small nod as all the lights went out one by one.

The Magna Defender smiled as he found himself pulled into the bedsheets as Cadence giggled. Now this was a proper reward.

Author's Notes:

Okay, so first off... We now have our official Sixth Ranger in Shining Armor, the Magna Defender. He's probably been this state for a while now, ever since he first took on Retinax, actually. It's just now I've started referring to him as such. Secondly, this chapter is the exact reason why I never put Tommy on that poll of past Rangers you guys wanted to show up, as I wanted to do something pretty special with him. Pretty sure this qualifies. Anyways, lots of foreshadowing here and there, see if you can catch it. And again, Troy and Canvas belong to the King of Gay Comedy, the VClaw. Also, huge thanks to Eagle-PaladinofShadows for the sword fight scenes and general tips.

Next month: A showdown three thousand years in the making as Celestia and Solar Flare finally come to blows as Thrax traps the Rangers on the Island of Illusions...

"Magical Source, Mystical Force!"

Also, if you haven't heard the news... https://twitter.com/TokuNation/status/917404145371430912

Next Ranger team maybe?

Plus...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihMHLL82ZO0